EU to Introduce €3 Duty on Online Shopping from Shein, Temu and AliExpress

Irish shoppers who regularly order from fast fashion giants Shein, Temu and AliExpress will face new charges from July 2026, as the European Union moves to protect local retailers from low-cost online competition.

The European Commission has welcomed the decision by EU member states to introduce a €3 customs duty on every e-commerce parcel valued below €150 sent directly from third countries, including China where these popular platforms are based. The measure, adopted by the Council on 13 November 2025, represents a significant shift for Irish consumers who have increasingly turned to these ultra-low-cost online retailers.

Online shopping has surged in Ireland, with 85% of internet users purchasing goods or services online in 2024, up from 78% in 2023, according to the Central Statistics Office. Clothing remains the most popular category, with 58% of Irish shoppers buying fashion items online, making platforms like Shein, Temu and AliExpress particularly popular.

The scale of the fast fashion boom is evident across Europe. In France, low-cost platforms accounted for 22% of all parcels handled by the postal service in mid-2025, compared to just 5% five years earlier, according to European Commission data. Global surveys show 48% of online shoppers have purchased from Temu, 42% from Shein, and 28% from AliExpress in the past year.

Currently, parcels valued below €150 arriving directly from countries outside the EU are exempt from customs duties, a loophole that has allowed Chinese e-commerce platforms to undercut traditional retailers significantly. The new €3 duty will apply to each individual parcel, regardless of its contents or value, provided it falls below the €150 threshold.

The temporary measure will remain in place until the EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational in 2028 as part of broader EU customs reform. The hub will provide customs services with complete data on goods entering or exiting the EU, enabling a more comprehensive permanent duty regime.

European Commission spokesperson:

"The new duty will help protect the competitiveness of European businesses by levelling the playing field between e-commerce and traditional retail."

The €3 customs duty is separate from ongoing negotiations on an EU handling fee designed to compensate customs authorities for the increasing costs of supervising the significant flow of parcels from overseas. That handling fee is expected to be introduced in November 2026.

Irish customs authorities will need to prepare for implementation through appropriate legal amendments and IT infrastructure updates ahead of the July 2026 start date. The measure applies to all e-commerce parcels sent directly to consumers from third countries, though it will particularly impact shoppers using Chinese platforms that have built their business models around duty-free imports under €150.

For Irish consumers who regularly order clothing, electronics, household items and accessories from these platforms, the additional €3 charge per parcel represents a modest but notable increase in costs. Multiple items ordered separately will incur the charge on each individual parcel, potentially encouraging shoppers to consolidate orders where possible.